Peer Support Specialist

Overview

A career with Johnson County Government is more than just a job, it is an opportunity to serve a diverse and expanding community in meaningful ways. We challenge ourselves to be a different kind of government because we care deeply about our community and each other. Committed to our shared values, we provide excellent public service, seeking always to improve ourselves and our organization. We offer wonderful benefits, retirement plans, wellness incentives, a great organizational culture, and much more! If you’re searching for something more than just a job, something akin to a calling, then consider the challenge and opportunity of being a member of Johnson County Government!

Johnson County Mental Health Center is looking to fill the position of a Peer Support Specialist. The Peer Support Specialist will provide services to clients with mental illness who are residing at the Adult Residential Center (Corrections) (New Century, KS) or are in Intensive Supervised Probation (Lenexa, KS). The peer support specialist will provide education and support individually and in groups. This is a grant position, funded for one year with the opportunity for an extension. The successful candidate will demonstrate recovery expertise in mental illness (know how to support others in their recovery) and will have the ability to demonstrate their own efforts at recovery. The candidate must self-identify as a present or former consumer of mental health services and ideally have lived experience with substance recovery and being involved in the justice system. First review of applications will be November 19th.

Job Description

Job duties:

•Teaches, coaches and provides guidance and support on various skills to enable productive lives of individuals; assists individual and family members to identify strategies or treatment options and participates in the development and modification of plans to regain ability to make independent choices and promote coping skills; develops and maintains a positive and effective relationship with service recipients, families, and other service providers, serving as the main point of contact.•Participates in meetings related to care coordination; completes documentation for direct services provided to ensure timely and accurate completion.•Serves as a role model for clients by identifying as a client of mental health services in an effort to help clients develop skills for coping and managing psychiatric symptoms.

Job Requirements

Minimum Job Requirements:

High School diploma or equivalent and one year of experience working in a human services field are required. May require KS/MO driver’s license, depending on department or agency. Candidate in recovery from a mental health diagnoses and may also be in recovery from substance use and certification in peer support required. Full certification as Kansas Certified Peer Specialist required within 12 months of hire.

Johnson County Government requires reference/background screening for all positions.  Specified criteria may vary by Department/Agency.

Preferred Job Requirements:

No preferred job requirements.

Education/Experience Substitutions:

Education may be substituted for experience.

Physical, Environmental, and Special Working Conditions:

Lifting: requirement varies by assignment.

Exposure to hazardous materials (bodily fluids).

All County employees may be called upon to assist other departments in a declared emergency situation.